Therapy bed



Nov. 16, 1965 o. c. BEVERLY 3,218,067

THERAPY BED Filed Dec. 10, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Olin 6. Beverly 1N VENTOR.

Nov. 16, 1965 o. c. BEVERLY 3,218,057

THERAPY BED Filed Dec. 10, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 2 L I ave gag as r 1 5a 94 W6 24 A? 10 r I: i I /0 1 /6 22 "/02 92 Fig 4 96 Olin 6. Beverly INVENTOR- United States Patent 3,218,067 THERAPY BED Olin C. Beverly, Avon Park, Fla. (840 37th Ave. N., St. Petersburg, Fla.) Filed Dec. 10, 1962, Ser. No. 243,454 Claims. (Cl. 272-58) This invention relates, generally classified, to multipurpose furniture, for example, a special purpose therapy bed which in addition to its customary spring supported mattress, is also provided with exercising equipment which is functionally designed and structurally adapted to afford the occupant of the bed facilities which when properly employed will serve to exercise the body limbs and arms in a manner to stimulate circulation, restore the same to a state of normalcy, and otherwise strengthen and revitalize body functions.

Briefly the invention is primarily a bedstead which, as usual, is characterized by a leg-supported frame embodying lengthwise side members and transverse head and foot members. A regular bedspring supports a conventional mattress. To meet the individual needs of the bed occupant, quite frequently a patient in need of estimable rehabilitation, the bed is provided with unique exercising facilities, namely, shiftable seating means, foot and leg exercising means, and gymnasium-type hand, arm and body extensible and retractible handgrips.

The concept which gave rise to the instant effort to advance the art involves a program of self-regulated and controllable activities for daily living carried out under supervision of a physician looking toward gradually building up physical abilities and to thus make the patient, or other user, independent and capable of reliably responding to the requirements of ever changing individual needs.

One improvement has to do with longitudinally shiftable occupant actuated and controlled seat means. This seat means is preferably in the form of a bench which extends at right angles to the lengthwise dimension of the mattress, is supported in an elevated plane above the plane of the mattress and is provided at its respective outer ends with mounting and retaining fixtures. These fixtures are bracketed to the ends of the seat and are provided with rollers which are slidingly mounted in tracks provided therefor on the side members of the bed frame.

As will be evident from the facilities. available to the user the very fact that it is possible for the user to recline on the mattress for purposes of sleep and rest but to be able to employ the seat directly above and in conjunction with the mattress enables him to resort to timely use of the seat means as a change of pace when in limited quarters where space is at a premium.

Another improvement resides in the provision of a novel headboard which has the upper portion thereof expressly constructed to provide an open front doorequipped cabinet, more particularly, a cabinet wherein a portion thereof is utilized for storing the seat means in a substantially concealed out-of-the-way position when said seat means is not being used.

The invention also features a cabinet-type headboard on a multipurpose bed wherein readily available and usable normally concealed exercising devices or facilities are housed therein but are capable of being brought into play, in conjunction with the shiftable seat means, and to facilitate exercising of the users hands, arms, feet, limbs and body parts in keeping with ever differing needs.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective of a multipurpose therapy bed constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention, showing the cabinet-type head with the doors open exposing certain available facilities and with the shiftable seat means readied for use;

FIGURE 2 is a transverse or cross-sectional view through the bed with the cabinet closed, the seat means stored away for use until needed;

FIGURE 3 is a view taken approximately on the plane of the section line 33 of FIGURE 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 4 is an exaggerated fragmentary view in section and elevation taken on the plane of the section line 44 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional and elevational view taken on the plane of the line 55 of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 6 is a view in perspective of the seat unit or means removed from the bed.

With reference first to FIGURE 1 the bed, generally speaking, is conventional in form to the extent that it comprises a horizontally elongated leg supported frame 8. The spaced parallel coplanar longitudinal side members of the frame are denoted at 10. The transverse foot member is denoted at 12 and the supporting legs are designated at 14. With reference to FIGURES P2 and 4 it will be noted that the side members are provided on interior surfaces with longitudinal rails 16 which function to support the frame 18 of a conventional type bedspring 20 which is designed and adapted to rest on crosswise slats 22 seated atop the rails and which, in conjunction with the bedspring, function to support a conventional mattress 24.

The head or headboard-equipped end of the bed is denoted by the numeral 26. This comprises a vertical panel or an equivalent headboard 28 which is appropriately secured to the bed frame and constitutes a part thereof and is provided on a forward side with appropriate supporting legs or feet 30. The part of the headboard above the level of the frame is fashioned into a novel cabinet which is denoted generally by the numeral 32. This cabinet has a major part of its front open in order to expose the interior facilities accommodating and storage space. The vertical walls of the cabinet are denoted at 34 and the top wall at 36. The forward vertical edge portions of the walls 34 are provided with appropriate hinges 38 supporting a pair of companion readily openable and closable doors 40. In practice the doors may be appropriately ornamented and will be preferably provided with appropriate knobs or grips 42. It should be noted that the lower coplanar edges of the doors are disposed in a plane spaced above the top of the mattress as is brought out in FIGURES 2 and 3. On-the interior of the cabinet an inclined panel 44 is prow'cled. The panel is mounted on an oblique angle as illustrated between the vertical and horizontal walls 34 and 36, and actually divides the space of the cabinet into compartments. The compartment to the rear or left in FIG. 3 is denoted by the numeral 46 and it serves to accommodate the horizontal cylindrical or equivalent winding drum 48. The drum is mounted on an axle or rod 50 one end of which is fashioned into a journal 52 rotatable in a bearing collar provided therefor as at 54. The other end portion 56 extends outwardly beyond the cabinet where it is provided with an appropriate handcrank 58. The portion of the shaft adjacent the handcrank is journalled in a bearing 60 providing a part of a fixture 62 secured to the wall 34 as illustrated in FIGURE 5. The fixture is provided with appropriate diametrically opposite or equivalent serene? keeper seats 64 for detents 66 carried by the adjacent end of the drum and which may be seated in the keeper seats to prevent rotation of the drum whenever necessary or desired. The drum serves to permit elastic cables 68 to be wound or coiled thereon in the manner illustrated more particularly in FIGURE 3. The usable ends of the cables are passed through holes 70 provided therefor in the upper half-portion of the panel 44 which holes are arranged to the left and right of the median portion of the panel. The free end portions of the cables are provided with handgrips which are denoted generally at 72 each embodying an attaching eye 74 a U-shaped frame 76 and a free turning gripping roller 78.

It will be obvious that these handgrips and such portions of the cables as are needed may be pulled forwardly beyond the panel and used in a generally well known manner by the user or occupant of the bed. By employing cables of requisite elasticity the desired tension requirement is suitably achieved. In addition by utilizing the winding and reeling drum the reelable ends of the cables can be wound on the drum and the drum can then be locked in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 5, making it possible to pay out the cable to the desired degree or extent particularly for the convenience of the user when occupying the seat means 89 illustrated in FIGURE 1. Before discussing the seat means attention is directed to the fact that the panel 44 also serves to accommodatingly support foot exercising means which is denoted generally at 82. The means in the illustrated showing comprises a round or dowel 84 having its ends supported on brackets 86 provided therefor and mounted on the front side of the cabinet panel 44. The user can place his feet on the panel 44 and use the same as a thrust member and can use the round 34 for toe manipulating and exercising needs. The round may be either stationary or freely rotatable as the manufacturer may decide.

The seat means 80 is projectible and retractible in respect to the hollow portion of the cabinet. It is also adjustably supported so that the user may position it wherever desired in relation to (1) the mattress, (2) the cabinet-type headboard and (3) the exercising facilities which are available for use therein. The seat means preferably comprises a plank or seatboard which extends transversely across the mattress in a plane above the mattress and constitutes a simple shiftably mounted bench. A rigidifying plank or board 90 is provided underneath of and is positioned parallel to the board 88 and these two boards are interconnected at their transverse ends by way of intervening supporting fixtures denoted generally at 92. Each fixture comprises a rigid plate 94- having an upper laterally directed or turned in end 96 which is screwed or otherwise fastened to the underneath side of the plank 88. The lower end of each fixture is of L- shaped form and has a horizontal arm 98; secured to the bottom board 96 and further has an upstanding vertical arm ltltl which has a pair of free turning rollers 102 journaled thereon, said rollers being confined for roll along operation in the channel portion of a channel-shaped track 104 secured appropriately to the interior surface of the bed frame side member 10 underneath the slat and bed spring rail 16. In practice, it is desired to provide the seat means with a flexible check line (cable or the like) as at 106, the same being anchored on the headboard 28 and being of a length that it is designed and adapted to limit the travel of the seat means or bench 80 from left to right in relation to the cabinet type headboard.

It will be understood that normally, that is when the bed is being employed for reclining or sleeping (as the case may be) the cabinet portion of the headboard is closed as illustrated in FIGURE 2 and the seat means is housed and stored therein in an out-of-the-way position as illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3. The seat means St), the exercising appliances or devices 72 and 82 and the thrust panel 4-4 are used in such manner and sequence as may be desired. For example, if the occupant of the bed is a patient recuperating he will necessarily follow the daily instructions of the doctor, nurse or other attendant. These instructions may call for use of the seat means 89 merely for momentarily or temporarily sitting thereon and stretching the limbs and arms and thereafter following such routine until permitted to straddle or otherwise utilize the bench or seat. The seat means can be and usually is also employed in conjunction with the exercising devices 72 and 82. To the ends desired the user will selectively and timely use the facilities in time and under such circumstances and conditions as partial or total rehabilitation is expectantly attainable.

it will be evident that a bed equipped with the appliances and facilities herein shown, described and claimed is not, of course, limited to patient treatment requirements. A multipurpose bed of this type lends itself to practical adoption and use by any average or ordinary user who finds it necessary or desirable to take exercise in the morning or at night and to conveniently store the appliances in an out-of-the-way position when not being used. Instead of having to mount such facilities as these on a room wall, door or to have the same in some inconvenient place within ones home it will be evident that by equipping the ed therewith new and improved results are attainable. it is believed that a careful consideration of the specification in conjunction with the views of the drawings will enable the reader to obtain a clear and comprehensive understanding of the construction of the component parts, the manner in which they are combined and used and the features and advantages which are attainable from proper use thereof, Therefore, a more extended description is regarded as unnecessary.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. Multipurpose furniture comprising, in combination, a bedstead embodying a horizontally elongated leg-supported frame having longitudinal side members connected with each other at head and foot ends, the means connecting the ends of said side members at the head of said frame embodying a hollow cabinet including a back end and top walls and being open at its front, the open front portion of said cabinet being elevated to a position above the plane of the top of said bedstead frame, said open front being provided with readily openable and closable closure means, said cabinet being designed and adapted to house, store and conceal exercising facilities and, in combination, exercising facilities cooperable with said cabinet comprising: projectible and retractible seat means embodying a seatboard adapted to extend transversely across a mattress above the plane of the top of said mattress, means slidingly supporting said seat means On said leg supported frame, further embodying a fixed panel in the hollow storage space of said cabinet, a foot exercising device supported on said panel, exercising handgrips, and elastic members attached to said handgrips and adjustably operatively mounted on said panel.

2. Multipurpose therapy furniture for use in the house, hospital or elsewhere comprising, in combination, a bed embodying a horizontally elongated leg-supported frame having longitudinal side members provided on interior lengthwise surfaces thereof with opposed coplanar fixedly mounted channel-shaped guide tracks, above said tracks with longitudinal rails, supporting a bed spring and complemental mattress, a horizontal board providing benchlike seat means for the occupant of the bed, board elevating and supporting fixtures bracketed to the respective transverse end portions of said board and depending therefrom parallel to and exteriorly of said side members, said fixtures having lateral turned in L-shaped bottom members underlying said side members and tracks, freely rotatable rollers confined in but rollable along their respective tracks, means journaling and connecting said rollers to their respectively cooperating L-shaped bottom members and movably suspending said board, means at the head end of said frame above the level of said mattress and adapted to enclose and store said seat means in an out-of-the-way position when said seat means is not in use and preventing said seat means from obstructing and interfering with the use of the mattress when the occupant of the bed desires to recline atop said mattress, said means comprising a hollow storage cabinet having readily openable and closable doors and having a bottom portion with a constantly open front and of a size and shape to permit said seat means to be completely stored therein, and exercising facilities located and normally stored within the confines of the cabinet above the level of said mattress, said facilities being accessible to and adopted for use by the occupant of the seat means and bed.

3. Multipurpose therapy furniture for use in the house, hospital or elsewhere comprising, in combination, a bed embodying a horizontally elongated leg-supported frame having longitudinal side members provided on interior lengthwise surfaces thereof with opposed coplanar fixedly mounted channel-shaped roller-accommodating and guide tracks and above said tracks with longitudinal rails, the latter adapted to support a bed spring and complemental mattress, a horizontal board providing bench-like seat means for the occupant of the bed, board elevating and supporting fixtures bracketed to the respective transverse end portions of said board and depending therefrom paral lel to and exteriorly of said side members, said roller accommodating tracks being fixed in coplanar spaced-apart parallelism to interior surfaces of said side members, said fixtures having lateral turned in L-shaped bottom members underlying the side members and also said guide tracks, freely rotatable rollers confined in but rollable along their respective tracks, means journaling and connecting said rollers to their respectively cooperating L- shaped bottom members and movably suspending said board, means at the head end of said frame above the level of said mattress and adapted to enclose and store the seat means in an out-of-the-way position when said seat means is not in use and preventing said seat means from obstructing and interfering with the use of the mattress when the occupant of the bed desires to recline atop said mattress, said means comprising a hollow storage cabinet, the front of said cabinet having readily openable and closable doors and having a bottom portion with a constantly open front and of a size and shape to permit said seat means to be completely enclosed and stored therein, and exercising facilities located and normally stored within the confines of the cabinet above the level of said mattress, said facilities being accessible to and adapted for use by the occupant of the seat means and the bed and comprising a foot exercising device, a supporting panel therefor fixed within the confines of the cabinet, handgrips and means operatively mounting said handgrips in an accessible position on the availably usable rearwardly facing side of said panel.

4. Multipurpose furniture comprising, in combination, a bed embodying a horizontally elongated leg-supported frame having longitudinal side members connected with each other at their respective head and foot ends, the means connecting the side members at the head end of said frame embodying a hollow cabinet having back, side and top walls and being open at its front, said front being provided with readily openable and closable doors, the hollow portion of said cabinet being designed and adapted to house, store and conceal bed occupant exercising facilities, the front bottom portion of said cabinet embodying an auxiliary storing compartment, exercising facilities embodied in the cabinet and concealed behind said doors when the doors are in normally closed position, said facilities including a fixed panel, a foot exercising device mounted on an accessible rearwardly disposed surface of said panel and accessible to the bed occupant when the doors are open, hand and arm exercising and body rehabilitatin means also mounted on the accessible rear- Wardly facing side of said panel, seat means embodying a seatboard which when in use is adapted to extend transversely across the mattress in a plane above the plane of the mattress, means depending from the end portions of said seatboard and slidingly mounted on tracks provided therefor on the aforementioned longitudinal side members, said seat means being stored in the aforementioned auxiliary compartment of said cabinet.

5. A multipurpose therapy bed embodying, in combination, a horizontally elongated leg-supported portable frame, a bed spring supported on and within the confines of said frame, a mattress supported atop said frame and bed spring, seat means spanning said mattress at right angles to the lengthwise dimension of the mattress, said seat means embodying a plank located in a plane above the top of the mattress, means carried by the seat means and frame, respectively, slidingly supporting said seat means and permitting the latter to be manually slid toward and from the head and foot ends of said frame, means at the head end of said frame above the level of said mattress designed and adapted to enclose and store the seat means in an out-of-the-way position when it is not being used, whereby to prevent the seat means from obstructing and interfering in any manner with use mattress by the user, the means at the head end of said frame comprising a cabinet vertically disposed and constituting a. headboard, said cabinet having upper and lower compartments, the upper compartment being provided with normally closed closure means readily accessible to and openable and closable by the occupant of the bed, exercising facilities within the confines of said upper compartment and at a level relative to the mattress permitting the bed occupant to have unassisted access thereto, a horizontal seatboard providing a bench-like occupant seat, seatboard elevating and supporting fixtures bracketed to the respective transverse end portions of said seatboard and depending therefrom parallel to and exteriorly of said side members, roller accommodating tracks fixed in coplanar spaced-apart parallelism to interior surfaces of said side members, said fixtures having lateral turned in L-shaped bottom members underlying the side members and tracks, freely rotatable rollers confined in but rollable along their respective tracks, means journaling and connecting said rollers to their respectively cooperating L- shaped bottom members and movably suspending said seatboard.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 321,388 6/1885 Ruebsam 272-81 1,186,202 6/1916 Jasinski 5-332 1,334,993 3/1920 Fry. 2,867,821 1/1959 Bolton 5-332 3,086,226 4/1963 Kyser et al 5-322 RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner, 

1. MULTIPURPOSE FURNITURE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A BEDSTEAD EMBODYING A HORIZONTALLY ELONGATED LEG-SUPPORTED FRAME HAVING LONGITUDINAL SIDE MEMBERS CONNECTED WITH EACH OTHER AT HEAD AND FOOT ENDS, THE MEANS CONNECTING THE ENDS OF SAID SIDE MEMBERS AT THE HEAD OF SAID FRAME EMBODYING A HOLLOW CABINET INCLUDING A BACK END AND TOP WALLS AND BEING OPEN AT ITS FRONT, THE OPEN FRONT PORTION OF SAID CABINET BEING ELEVATED TO A POSITION ABOVE THE PLANE OF THE TOP OF SAID BEDSTEAD FRAME, SAID OPEN FRONT BEING PROVIDED WITH READILY OPENABLE AND CLOSABLE CLOSURE MEANS, SAID CABINET BEING DESIGNED AND ADAPTED TO HOUSE, STORE AND CONCEAL EXERCISING FACILITIES AND, IN COMBINATION, EXERCISING FACILITIES COOPERABLE WITH SAID CABINET COMPRISING: PROJECTIBLE AND RETRACTIBLE SEAT MEANS EMBODYING A SEATBOARD ADAPTED TO EXTEND TRANSVERSELY ACROSS A MATTRESS ABOVE THE PLANE OF THE TOP OF SAID MATTRESS, MEANS SLIDINGLY SUPPORTING SAID SEAT MEANS ON SAID LEG SUPPORTED FRAME, FURTHER EMBODYING A FIXED PANEL IN THE HOLLOW STORAGE SPACE OF SAID CABINET, A FOOT EXERCISING DEVICE SUPPORTED ON SAID PANEL, EXERCISING HANDGRIPS, AND ELASTIC MEMBERS ATTACHED TO SAID HANDGRIPS AND ADJUSTABLY OPERATIVELY MOUNTED ON SAID PANEL. 